Gotta disagree with ya doc. PTSD can cause a multitude of physical complications. Not to mention the meds will keep ya down. To start off, obesity. Obesity brings on OSA, joint pain and back pain. OSA can cause heart issues and complicate our respiratory system. Anxiety can cause increased heart rate and respiratory rate. This can cause pain. This can cause HTN. This can cause heart failure. Byy increasing the size and speed of your breathing, this increases your intrathoracic pressure which lowers your venous blood return from your extremities which can cause heart failure. The increased thoracic pressure can increase the workload on your heart. PTSD can cause ulcers, GERD, vomitting and or diarhea. PTSD can cause chronic pain in your spine. PTSD can exacerbate Asthma. Many times I'll be so anxious and jumpy all day I won't eat. Then that makes me feel like crap too. Here is a couple of sources:

Guarantee. Stay in ya house for 2 years with severe agoraphobia. Come out weighing 450 pounds. That's about 250 pounds of extra real for ya. Be sure and bring your CPAP machine and your insulin strips.

The only reason ya comin' out now is to have your knees replaced due to increased weight. Gonna get ya self a scooter to ride around on.

redfish wrote:Gotta disagree with ya doc. PTSD can cause a multitude of physical complications. Not to mention the meds will keep ya down. To start off, obesity. Obesity brings on OSA, joint pain and back pain. OSA can cause heart issues and complicate our respiratory system. Anxiety can cause increased heart rate and respiratory rate. This can cause pain. This can cause HTN. This can cause heart failure. Byy increasing the size and speed of your breathing, this increases your intrathoracic pressure which lowers your venous blood return from your extremities which can cause heart failure. The increased thoracic pressure can increase the workload on your heart. PTSD can cause ulcers, GERD, vomitting and or diarhea. PTSD can cause chronic pain in your spine. PTSD can exacerbate Asthma. Many times I'll be so anxious and jumpy all day I won't eat. Then that makes me feel like crap too. Here is a couple of sources:

From the link you posted above, see the bold section.

What is the relationship between physical health and PTSD?

A growing body of literature has found a link between PTSD and physical
health. Some studies have found that PTSD explains the association
between exposure to trauma and poor physical health. In other words,
trauma may lead to poor health outcomes because of PTSD. When health
problems are measured by self-report, there is a clear association with
PTSD for veterans and active duty personnel, civilian men and women,
firefighters, and adolescents. Those who report that they have PTSD
symptoms are more likely to have a greater number of physical health
problems than those who do not have PTSD.

Similar results are found when physical health is measured by
physician report or by laboratory tests. PTSD also has been found to be
associated with greater medical service utilization for physical health
problems. At present, however, an association between PTSD and illness
via physician diagnosis and medical service utilization has only been
examined in veteran populations. Further research is indicated to
examine PTSD, physical illness, and medical service utilization in both
veteran and other traumatized populations.

Existing research has not been able to determine conclusively that PTSD
causes poor health. Thus, caution is warranted in making a causal
interpretation of what is presented here. It may be the case that
something associated with PTSD is actually the cause of greater health
problems. For example, it could be that a factor associated with PTSD,
such as smoking, is the actual cause of the increased health problems.
This is not likely, however, given that we know that PTSD is associated
with poor physical health even when behavioral factors such as smoking
are controlled.

PTSD may promote poor health through a complex interaction between
biological and psychological mechanisms. The National Center for PTSD
and other laboratories around the world are studying these mechanisms.
Current thinking is that the experience of trauma brings about
neurochemical changes in the brain. These changes may have biological,
as well as psychological and behavioral, effects on one's health. For
example, these neurochemical changes may create a vulnerability to
hypertension and atherosclerotic heart disease that could explain in
part the association with cardiovascular disorders. Research also shows
that these neurochemical changes may relate to abnormalities in thyroid
and other hormone functions, and to increased susceptibility to
infections and immunologic disorders associated with PTSD.

The psychological and behavioral effects of PTSD on health may be
accounted for in part by comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders. Many
people with PTSD also experience depressive disorders or other
disorders. Depressed individuals report a greater number of physical
symptoms and use more medical treatment than do individuals who are not
depressed. Depression also has been linked to cardiovascular disease in
previously healthy populations and to additional illness and mortality
among patients with serious medical illness. PTSD also may be related to
poor health through symptoms of comorbid anxiety or panic. The evidence
linking anxiety to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is quite
strong, but the mechanisms are largely unknown.

Hostility, or anger, is another possible mediator of the relationship
between PTSD and physical health. It is commonly associated with PTSD
and decades of research on the health risks associated with the Type A
behavior pattern have isolated hostility as a crucial factor in
cardiovascular disease. PTSD and poor health also may be mediated in
part by behavioral risk factors for disease such as smoking, substance
abuse, diet, and lack of exercise.

Little is known about how coping and social support relate to health in
PTSD, but it is likely that both play important roles. Further research
is needed to better understand these potential protective factors.

What specific health problems are related to PTSD?

There is not a lot of information about what specific health problems
are associated with PTSD. Many studies have not looked at specific
health problems but instead report only the number of overall health
problems associated with PTSD. Some studies have examined specific
health problems, but these problems have been primarily self-reported.
However, there is some evidence to indicate PTSD is related to
cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal disorders. There
is also one study with similar findings that evaluated physician
diagnosed disorders and PTSD in relation to specific body systems.

A number of studies have found an association between PTSD and poor
cardiovascular health. These studies found that self-report of
circulatory disorders and symptoms of cardiovascular trouble were each
associated with PTSD in veteran populations, civilian men and women, and
male firefighters. Among studies that have examined PTSD in relation to
cardiovascular illness via physician diagnosis or laboratory findings,
PTSD has been consistently associated with a greater likelihood of
cardiovascular morbidity. In a recent study, researchers used
electrocardiogram (ECG) findings to compare the cardiovascular function
of Vietnam veterans with PTSD to the cardiovascular function of veterans
without PTSD.

After controlling for risk factors such as alcohol consumption, weight,
current substance abuse, and smoking, in addition to controlling for
current medication use, PTSD was found to be associated with nonspecific
ECG abnormalities, atrioventricular conduction defects, and
infarctions. Because the PTSD group in this study included only those
veterans with severe PTSD, it is important to interpret this study with
caution. It is unknown whether men with less severe PTSD would show the
same ECG abnormalities. It is also important to be cautious about
generalizing the findings in this study since there have been no studies
specifically evaluating cardiovascular morbidity and PTSD in women.

The gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal systems have also been shown
to be associated with PTSD, but the relationship of PTSD to these two
systems has not been as extensively researched as the relationship
between PTSD and the cardiovascular system. The majority of the studies
that have been conducted have gathered information about veterans, but a
study of civilian young men and women found that there is a
relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms and PTSD. Similarly,
researchers found that PTSD was related to musculoskeletal symptoms
among male firefighters. Additional research is needed to learn more
about how these and other bodily system troubles may be related to PTS

Many physical and emotional reactions to PTSD are certainly negative.Example drinking too much, or even alcoholism. But you have to ask yourself did the PTSD cause the alcoholism or was that just the individuals reaction to having PTSD?

** These are just the things that I can think of. The big one is obesity. As we all know, that leads to a bunch of health issues. Especially concerning mobility. AND these things I have just mentioned have nothing to do with alcohol or drugs.

Docnsiam wrote:This is not likely, however, given that we know that PTSD is associated
with poor physical health even when behavioral factors such as smoking
are controlled.

From the part I highlighted above.Where do you get the idea that associated with is the same as "caused"?

Associated with means you have both.

( You can and typically do have both ) Associated by definition means connected. "PTSD is connected to poor physical health"There is really no arguement here concerning the OP. I'll re-state this from earlier post : One PTSD symptom is depression. Depression can and does cause obesity. Obesity brings on OSA, joint pain and back pain. OSA can cause heart issues and complicate our respiratory system. Obesity can cause diabetes. Another symptom of PTSD is anxiety. Anxiety can cause increased heart rate and respiratory rate. This can cause pain. This can cause HTN. This can cause heart failure. Byy increasing the size and speed of your breathing, this increases your intrathoracic pressure which lowers your venous blood return from your extremities which can cause heart failure. The increased thoracic pressure can increase the workload on your heart. PTSD can cause ulcers, GERD, IBS, vomitting and or diarhea. PTSD can cause chronic pain in your spine. PTSD can exacerbate Asthma and or COPD.

These are not possible effects of PTSD. These are factual effects. We know PTSD can cause these physical ailments.

The last link I posted suggests numerous other medical issues linked to PTSD. I think we have dipped into arguing semantics in this thread. The OP asked if PTSD can cause mobility problems. And the answer is beyond a doubt yes.

The Old Medic wrote:Depends on what you mean by mobility. If you mean can it cause you to withdraw, and not want to go out and be active, then the answer is yes.

If you mean, can it cause you to lose the physical ability to be mobile, then the answer is no.

RedfishI was actually responding to your disagreement of the above post. Not the OP. I stand by my agreement with OM above. You do not lose your physical ability to be mobile.

You also supplied links that nowhere showed loss of physical mobility to my mind.

I have no problem agreeing to disagree with you. You can say caused by PTSD, I can say associated with, which is the term your link provided.

I can also agree that all of the problems you talked about happen to PTSD sufferers.

For what is is worth I am a VN Combat Medic, 100% SC SMC S,K. Since VN and PH etc.Recently SC rated for PTSD.

To me to believe that I have no free will in living with my PTSD.That I personally am up against it, is no way to live.I personally believe it is mind over matter. If you want to look for all the associated potholes in the road, to each his own.

I thank all for this informative bit of information. Personally, I do not think my mobility has been affected however the grandkids all agree that the old fastball and curve is not the same as it once was. Backpack trips are just a tad shorter as well.Being a California Resident, my Motor Vehicle Registration was due last month. (Disabled Vets at 100% are entitled to one free license and reg.)I took my verification letter (100% PT) to DMV in order to take advantage of the State Benefit. I was rejected because I did not fit into the State of California Benefit Requirement. I asked why and they said that my mobility has not been affected by my combined 100% rating. I ended up having to pay the usual California Screw Job of nearly $400. I've attached the California Requirements for all to enterpet. As any other California Vet had this problem:

Note.........Redfish, I spoke with my VA Doc and he claims that there is a connecton with Physical mobility and PTSD however "Not Fully Defined as of Yet".. Thanks for the informative posts.

Disabled Veteran License PlatesWaiver of registration fees and free "DV" handicap parking license plates for one passenger motor vehicle, or one motorcycle, or one commercial motor vehicle of less than 8001 pounds unladen weight.

Who May Be Eligible: A "disabled veteran" is any person who, as a result of injury or disease suffered while on active service with the armed forces of the United States, suffers any of the following:

a) Has a disability which has been rated at 100 percent by the Department of Veterans Affairs or the military service from which the veteran was discharged, due to a diagnosed disease or disorder which substantially impairs or interferes with mobility or,

(b) Is so severely disabled as to be unable to move without the aid of an assistant device or,

(c) Has lost, or has lost use of, one or more limbs or,

(d) Has suffered permanent blindness, as defined in Section 19153 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Obtain a signed doctor's statement that indicates that the veteran in question has a service-connected disability with at least one of the above listed mobility impairments, complete DMV forms REG 195 and REG 256A, and mail the completed package to:

The Old Medic wrote:Depends on what you mean by mobility. If you mean can it cause you to withdraw, and not want to go out and be active, then the answer is yes.

If you mean, can it cause you to lose the physical ability to be mobile, then the answer is no.

RedfishI was actually responding to your disagreement of the above post. Not the OP. I stand by my agreement with OM above. You do not lose your physical ability to be mobile.

You also supplied links that nowhere showed loss of physical mobility to my mind.

I have no problem agreeing to disagree with you. You can say caused by PTSD, I can say associated with, which is the term your link provided.

I can also agree that all of the problems you talked about happen to PTSD sufferers.

For what is is worth I am a VN Combat Medic, 100% SC SMC S,K. Since VN and PH etc.Recently SC rated for PTSD.

To me to believe that I have no free will in living with my PTSD.That I personally am up against it, is no way to live.I personally believe it is mind over matter. If you want to look for all the associated potholes in the road, to each his own.

Docnsiam

Very well doc. We will agree to disagree. In closing, I will just say that we know that depression can cause obesity and that does limit mobility. The links I provided all link PTSD to a number of physical conditions be we can all understand obesity.

I too am totally disabled from PTSD only I served in combat in DS. I respect and thank you for your service. On a side note, I have no physical condions other than chronic back pain.

Good conversation. Interesting topic. I think Blade got several opinions and I have enjoyed participating in this post.

You need to read Blade other post in social. He is arguing the CA law on disability. The CA law requires the vet to be in a physical condition that a non vet would get a wheelchair plate but have to pay for it. Bladenwalked into the DMV not crawled in. He needs his doc to certify his physically disabled status. I am 100% P&T but my doc will not authorize handicap zone parking, that is what CA wants.